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Paul McCartney

Paul McCartney

Style marker

Single falsetto note

[Little Richard] would say, 'I taught Paul everything he knows'. [...] I had to admit he was right.

— Paul McCartney, Twitter (2020)

Paul McCartney sometimes sings a single note in falsetto, in imitation of Little Richard who did it before him.

Album artwork for The Beatles's Oh Darling.
Oh Darling (1969)
The Beatles
Transcript of a line from The Beatles's 1969 song Oh Darling.

Related

Album artwork for Paul McCartney's Waterfalls.
Waterfalls (1980)
Paul McCartney
Transcript of a line from Paul McCartney's 1980 song Waterfalls.
Album artwork for TLC's Waterfalls.
Waterfalls (1994)
TLC
Transcript of a line from TLC's 1994 song Waterfalls.
Transposed from Eb.

These songs share

  • A lyric
  • A sequence on the word "waterfalls" that descends from 7̂ to 6̂ and then to 5̂ (though the 7̂ is flat in McCartney's case)

AV Club: TLC ripped off Paul McCartney? I had no idea!

Paul McCartney: I think so.

— AV Club interview (2007)

Album artwork for The Beatles's Penny Lane (bassline).
Penny Lane (bassline) (1967)
The Beatles
Transcript of a line from The Beatles's 1967 song Penny Lane (bassline).
Shown in treble clef for comparison.
Album artwork for Paul McCartney's Wonderful Christmastime.
Wonderful Christmastime (1979)
Paul McCartney
Transcript of a line from Paul McCartney's 1979 song Wonderful Christmastime.
Album artwork for The Beatles's She Came In Through the Bathroom Window.
She Came In Through the Bathroom Window (1969)
The Beatles
Transcript of a line from The Beatles's 1969 song She Came In Through the Bathroom Window.
Album artwork for Billy Joel's Close to the Borderline.
Close to the Borderline (1980)
Billy Joel
Transcript of a line from Billy Joel's 1980 song Close to the Borderline.

Points of connection

  • Both songs are in the key of A and share a single rhythmically-identical pentatonic melody line (highlighted)
  • Phonetically similar lyrics in the same rhythmic positions ("thought I knew"/"think I need", "an[swer]"/"an[ything]")
I see critics compare me to Elton John,. I see Harry Chapin, and I go 'No, no, it's McCartney.'

— Billy Joel, New York Times interview (1978)

Album artwork for The Beatles's She Came In Through the Bathroom Window.
She Came In Through the Bathroom Window (1969)
The Beatles
Transcript of a line from The Beatles's 1969 song She Came In Through the Bathroom Window.
Album artwork for Billy Joel's Close to the Borderline.
Close to the Borderline (1980)
Billy Joel
Transcript of a line from Billy Joel's 1980 song Close to the Borderline.

Points of connection

  • Both songs are in the key of A and share a single rhythmically-identical pentatonic melody line (highlighted)
  • Phonetically similar lyrics in the same rhythmic positions ("thought I knew"/"think I need", "an[swer]"/"an[ything]")

Something to add?

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